I left the residence of the Marquis of Weiyuan.
The head constable immediately went to meet him.
He was immediately taken aback when he saw the large bump on Liu Ruzhi's forehead.
"My lord, did the Marquis lay a hand on you? The old Marquis is so old, why is he still so impatient?"
Liu Ruzhi waved her hand and opened the box.
"Take a look at this."
The head constable took it, glanced at it, and exclaimed in surprise, "Isn't this the murder weapon the coroner drew based on the wounds? Could it be that you guessed right, sir, that person really was killed by Qin Run?"
Liu Ruzhi's expression was solemn.
"The young marquis said that the hairpin was indeed found at Chunxiang Pavilion, but he's unsure if it belongs to Qin Run. That place is frequented by many people, and without concrete evidence, it's impossible to convict Qin Run based on that alone, especially considering Qin Run's current status..."
Upon hearing this, the head constable couldn't help but scratch his head.
"Although the ancestral worship ceremony hasn't been held yet, Qin Run recognized his relatives on the street, and the Emperor didn't deny it. I heard he's now in the palace to keep vigil, receiving the same treatment as other princes. If we really find clues, this case might not be able to lead to a conviction. My lord, shall we continue the investigation?"
Liu Ruzhi said coldly, "Investigate! Those in positions of power should fulfill their duties; how can they not investigate when they receive a salary?"
The head constable sighed, "What happens after the investigation? Even if it's submitted to the Ministry of Justice for review, it probably won't be presented to the Emperor."
"Get things done first, and then worry about the results..."
Liu Ruzhi paused for a moment.
We'll figure it out when the time comes.
...
In front of Fu An'an's flower shop,
As soon as the carriage came to a stop, Lian'er jumped down, lifted the curtain, and helped Jiang Qingwan out of the carriage.
"Miss, aren't you going to wait until the flowers bloom? I've heard that these flowers can bloom in many colors, they're so beautiful."
Jiang Qingwan looked at the flowerpot that Li Dou was holding.
Although it only has two flower buds, it is growing very well.
If we wait a little longer, they will indeed bloom into very beautiful flowers.
However, if she waits until the flowers bloom before bringing them over, Fu An'an probably won't be able to sell them for a good price.
"I'll ask Manager Fu for another one, and we'll grow it ourselves."
As the two were talking, a commotion suddenly broke out inside the flower shop.
A flowerpot fell to the ground, eliciting gasps of surprise.
Qing Sui frowned slightly.
"Your Highness, it seems like there's trouble inside."
Jiang Qingwan quickly walked inside.
Inside the flower shop, there were many customers choosing flowers.
But at this moment, they were all gathered in the center watching the excitement.
A young girl dressed in a pale yellow embroidered brocade dress, her face flushed with righteous indignation, pointed at the broken flowerpots on the ground and said, "Look at what you sold us! They withered like this overnight, and our banquet tonight will be delayed. Can you take responsibility for this?"
Fu An'an was squatting on the ground examining the object.
"That's impossible. This flower is very vigorous. When I sold it to you, there were still many buds that hadn't opened. Logically speaking, it should have been in full bloom for at least ten days. How could it have withered overnight?"
The girl snorted coldly.
"Who knows what tricks you unscrupulous businessman have used! Everyone should keep their eyes open. Don't be fooled by the fact that all the flowers in the room look beautiful. They might wither and die before you even get home."
The crowd was buzzing with discussion.
"Manager Fu's flower shop has been open for many days, and I've bought from it several times, but I've never encountered this situation before."
"Who can say for sure? Maybe they're just taking a perfunctory approach to caring for the plants now that business is good. Or maybe they're using inferior products to make more money."
"Sigh, businessmen are profit-driven, but they can't do it like this. If it's a one-off deal, who will fall for it again?"
Fu An'an stood up.
"Ladies and gentlemen, if there is indeed a problem with the items sold by our flower shop, I will definitely take full responsibility."
The girl in pale yellow was displeased upon hearing this.
"What do you mean? Are you saying I'm trying to extort you? Do you even know who I am? I'm from the Chen family of Suhe. A few potted plants, how much could they be worth? Would I try to extort you?"
The Chen family of Suhe is the maternal family of Su Weichuan's first wife.
They were a prominent family in the capital.
The crowd became increasingly convinced.
All of these accusations were against Fu An'an for engaging in improper business practices.
Jiang Qingwan walked over.
His gaze fell on the scattered flower mud and flower branches on the ground.
"Can't you find the cause?"
Fu An'an was both surprised and delighted to see her coming.
But there was no time for pleasantries.
"Jiang Meizi, I checked the soil, it's fine, and the flower branches aren't sick either, so why did they wither?"
The gardener whispered, "Could it be that we accidentally poured hot water on it? Or that it got too close to the charcoal stove?"
Fu An'an was about to shake her head.
The maidservant beside the girl was displeased.
"I served these flowers. My mistress wanted to use them, so as her servant, I naturally took good care of them. How could I possibly water them with hot water? Besides, when I bought the flowers, I asked in detail how to care for them. It's clearly your problem, so don't try to pin the blame on me. Am I supposed to ruin my own job?"
What she said makes sense.
The gardener could only weakly explain, "I was just stating a possibility."
The maidservant, however, refused to let it go.
"Don't try to shirk responsibility; it must have been the defective products you sold."
Jiang Qingwan glanced at her and immediately frowned.
The maid's expression was very strange.
It was white with a hint of blue.
It was as if he had contracted a serious illness.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she bent down to examine the flower branch closely.
The flower branch was indeed free of disease and insect infestation.
However, a very faint green scent lingered on the green branches.
You can't see it at all unless you look closely.
That bluish aura was strange, like poison but not quite.
It's more like... a plague!
A hint of surprise flashed in Jiang Qingwan's eyes.
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